1.    Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Classroom Blog

It’s important in today’s society to facilitate and inspire student learning with regards to technology in the modern world. Through Blogger a free tool provided by Google, the Internet’s leading search engine, I was able to create a web log (blog) to collaborate with my peers and reflect on the use of technology in education. A blog is a personalized website that can be updated with information, assignments and other class topics allowing the students another means to keep updated on class discussion. My blog showcases both what I’ve learned and what I’ve created as well as providing access to each of the projects that I was assigned in one convenient location. By embedding html codes into individual pages, I’ve organized my blog to showcase some of the work I’ve created such as the classroom newsletter, Prezi-NETS presentation and Diigo Tagroll (social bookmarking tool). I have also written many journal responses reflecting on articles for the ISTE journal, Learning and Leading with Technology. Constructing a blog has allowed me to facilitate and inspire student learning and creativity by modelling how students can take the opportunity to complete assignments online through the use of technology. My journal posts, and the comment area under each, can also promote student reflection and collaboration through exploration on real-world issues. By incorporating the use of blogs into my classroom, I will enhance student learning using digital tools in an online classroom.

Classroom Newsletter

Through Microsoft Word, a full-featured word processing program from Microsoft, I created a newsletter to inform both students and parents about events and classroom expectations. On my newsletter I incorporated a scanned image, used word art for titles and used tables to create a custom masthead. I also wrapped text around clip art graphics, inserted pictures and borders as well as used drop caps in order to make it look like an official newsletter. In each step in making my newsletter, I kept the focus on creativity and clarity in order to make it more visually appealing. In creating my newsletter in Word I proved that I could facilitate and improve students creativity and learning by teaching them different aspects of the program. In addition, I can now use this tool in my speech pathology work in order to enhance students reflections using collaborative tools such as word as well as using a creative tool to express the subject matter to the students and parents.

2. Design and Develop Digital-Age Learning Experiences and Assessments

Mindmapping

Through Bubbl.us, a free web-based brainstorming tool, I was able to make a creative mind map that connected my assignments I created in class to the NETS-T narratives. I learned how to use bubbl.us through trial and error; the website is very usable and easy to figure out. I inserted a main bubble “NETS-T Narratives” and branched the five standards from that bubble. Then I connected two assignments per standard that incorporated the different elements of the standard. Lastly, I connected an explanation to each assignment as to how the assignment connected to the NETS-T.  When my brainstorming tool was mapped out I was able to edit color, font size, font type, etc, by following bubbl.us instructions. Creating a mind map allowed me to creatively organize and connect my assignments to the NETS-T standards. Thanks to technology, students can neatly represent their thought process and refer back to it when necessary. Once I uploaded my mindmap to my blog, I was able to refer back to it while connecting my assignments to the NETS-T standards. My mind map shows my ability to use digital tools to creatively organize my information, future students could use this tool as well in a variety of assignments.

Prezi

Using Prezi, an easy to use, free web-based multimedia presentation software, I created a presentation that communicated my thoughts on how to integrate the National Education Technology Standards (NETS-S) for pre-kindergarten to second grade, into my curriculum. Following the Prezi tutorial, I was able to insert videos, images, and text in different sized frames, and I learned how to make effective pathways in order to communicate the information. I created four separate frames, each incorporating a NETS-S performance indicator, an idea for a web-based lesson, images, and a YouTube video about using technology in schools. All the information is connected by different pathways, zooming in and out in order to share relevant information in an interesting way. Making a Prezi Presentation allowed me to design, develop, and evaluate my learning experience. Due to technology, teachers can make creative lectures to communicate information and students can use it for projects, notes, etc. Incorporating contemporary aged tools like Prezi, is a great way to allow students to pursue their educational goals and explore their curiosities. 

3. Model Digital-Age Work and Learning

Diigo

With Diigo, a free online social bookmarking site, I created an account so that I could collaborate with peers and others with similar interests in order to develop an understanding of education from a worldwide perspective. I began developing a PLN (personal learning network) by searching topics that interest me, found five Diigo users who shared interests, and followed them. On Diigo, I researched and bookmarked topics related to PLN’s, special education, speech therapy (including assistive technology), and added them to my Diigo tagroll, which allows me to share my sources with the people I follow. I use tags, or keywords, to each of the sites I bookmarked so that I could easily find them in the future; my followers will also be able to easily access them this way. With Diigo, I made a reflection summary on the PLN tags in order to reflect on my learning experience as well as to continue growing as an educator. Diigo allowed me to use a contemporary technology tool that can be useful to both teachers and students. Diigo allows users to communicate and share information  which is very beneficial as an educator as well as a student. Students can communicate during group projects in order to share research and teachers can help by monitoring what is being researched. It is a beneficial way to model digital-age work and learning.

iMovie

Using Apple’s video editing program iMovie, I created a Public Service Announcement (PSA) about Cal State San Marcos. After I created my PSA I converted my iMovie into a downloadable Quicktime file, which I then uploaded to my blog. I put the PSA together by combining video clips, text, still shots, voice-overs and music in order to create an informative minute long video about the campus and why students should attend the school. Using iMovies different features like, video effects, text placement, fonts and screen transitions, I made a creative video with facts and interesting details about CSUSM. I would incorporate iMovie into my work as a speech pathologist in order to show interested clients what I do. I could put together short videos and upload them to my work blog so that customers could get a realistic idea as to how I work. I would also promote student learning by modeling this tool for my younger clients so that they could use it in their school work. 

4. Promote and Model Digital Citizenship and Responsibility

Cyber Safety Website

I collaborated with a group of my peers to build a Cyber Safety Website using Weebly, a free, easy to use website making program that allows you to design your own website and publish it to the Internet. We were able to all access the collaborative website and make our own page about a topic that falls under cybersafety. We each chose a topic about cybersafety, mine was inappropriate content. Other topics included cyberbullying, cyber predators, identity safety, social networking and piracy and plagiarism. My web page defines Inappropriate Content and gives statistics, tips for students and educators, as well as resources that people can view to gain more information. I also embedded a video and appropriate images in order to help get my message across. This Cybersafety website allows educators to inform students and parents on the importance of cybersafety. Technology is used in schools as well as in speech pathology. Using Weebly can help me demonstrate the importance of digital citizenship and responsibility to my clients who may still be in school.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Journal

Using the Internet as my research tool, I researched technology devices that could be used in a classroom for students with special needs. My main focus was on augmentative and alternative communication devices (AAC), which are non-verbal ways of communicating that help people with severe speech and language problems express themselves using picture and symbol communication boards and electronic devices. I researched and found a high-tech and a low-tech tool as well as a hardware and software option that allowed students to express their wants and needs to teachers and classmates. For instance, I found and described a communication board which is considered a low-tech device as well as different apps on iPads that allow students to communicate. This informative journal assignment allowed me to explore different digital tools available for all of the diverse learners. Through researching these devices, I demonstrated my ability to find solutions for my speech pathology work that will allow each of my client to improve their communication skills.

5. Engage in Professional Growth and Leadership

Professional Learning Network (PLN)

I created my own professional learning network (PLN), in order to communicate with professionals around the world who are in the education field. My PLN consists of relationships with other educators and speech pathologists through Twitter, a useful online social networking site, Diigo, a online bookmarking tool, and Classroom 2.0, an online community of educators who promote the use of technology in classrooms. I used Twitter to participate in a weekly educational chat with educators around the world, and through my experience, I gained more information and resources that I was able to bookmark for future reference through Diigo. My PLN allows me to learn and connect globally with educators in order to access new ideas, tools and resources. My continuous use of my PLN will allow me to engage in professional growth and leadership. I will always have the ability to connect and share ideas with fellow speech pathologists.

Educational Journals

I subscribed to Learning and Leading in Technology (L&L), an online journal accessed through membership in the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE). I read and reflected on different journals written by different educators and reflected on them with my journal write ups provided on my personal blog. I read about different topics such as, emerging digital tools into classrooms, cyberbullying, and the importance and how-to of networking on Twitter. My reflections include a summary of the journal article as well as two sets of questions and answers pertaining to the online journal article. The journal write-ups allowed me to learn and reflect on current research and tools available on the internet and in print. With me getting closer each semester to becoming a speech pathologist, having access to these journals allows me to keep myselp updated on the newest information about education and speech pathology/special education.